The present disclosure relates generally to data communications. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to state-based traffic management for classifier-equipped silicon switches.
Current silicon switches generally include a classifier and associated action logic. The classifier can examine a single frame while in transition, and check whether the frame matches one of a plurality of pre-programmed classification rules. When a match occurs, the action logic can apply some pre-determined action to the frame and/or the silicon switch, such as changing the content of the frame or closing a port of the switch. However, such silicon switches are able to examine only one frame at a time, and have no memory, so that an action can be based only upon a single frame.